Big plans for IFP Minnesota

Andrew Peterson has been appointed executive director of Independent Filmmaker Project Minnesota, after six months as interim director.

Peterson, 48, a filmmaker, former production veep and Minnetonka native, said that IFP’s long-term goal is to partner with other media-resource groups, possibly including Minneapolis Television Network, under one roof in a multi-purpose media center that would be for film and TV production what Open Book in the Minneapolis Warehouse District is to the literary arts. The plans are still in the very early stages, and will require a capital campaign, but Peterson sees such a center as a way to "pool resources, elimiante redundancies and increase visibility."

Also high on the agenda is banding together with related entities like the Minnesota Film and TV Board to get more production-incentive rebates.

"The big picture here is rebuilding the film industry in Minnesota," he said. "Back in the day we were the fourth largest market behind only New York, L.A. and Chicago, and now the fact that Oklahoma does better than us is absurd. WIth the community we already have in place here, we're primed to get back up there again."

Andrew Peterson in the offices of Independent Filmmaker Project in St. Paul, where he was named executive director after serving as interim director for six months. Photo by Reilly Tillman